Jail for Bainsford drink driver who assaulted police

A man has been jailed for 15 months and banned from driving for five years.

Edward Graham was stopped by police twice in the space of five months after they were tipped off.

The 26-year-old from 56 Mungalhead Road, Bainsford, appeared from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday to be sentenced for drink driving and assault.

Graham was pulled over on Dalderse Avenue at around 9.10pm on November 10 last year. Officers detected a strong smell of alcohol from him and his speech was slurrred. After being arrested and taken to Falkirk Police Station he refused to provide a specimen of breath to ascertain his ability to drive. In court on November 13 he was released on bail until January 4 but did not turn up.

On April 8, police called to a disturbance at a house in Napier Crescent, Falkirk, found him hiding behind a couch and while he was being arrested in connection with failing to attend he lashed out and assaulted three police officers.

On April 15, and following another anonymous call he was driving under the influence, police saw him driving a van on Mungalhead Road. They used their blue lights to get him to stop, but he carried on.

The court was told Graham was then pursued and seen travelling at speed, swerving and narrowly missing parked vehicles and failing to slow down at junctions. When he finally stopped in Dollar Avenue he abandoned the vehicle and ran off. When officers caught up with him they noted he was unsteady on his feet and again smelling of alcohol. After refusing to provide a breath sample at the road side, Graham was arrested.

In Falkirk Police Station he claimed he had taken 60 pain-killers and was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

Defence lawyer Michael Lowrie said Graham had not taken the pills and had “no good reason” for refusing to co-operate. He said too much drink was to blame for him assaulting the police.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said given the circumstances custody was inevitable.